Easel



2 Sheets-Sheet l .ELLE/i573.' M

Aug. 28, 1934. R; DE c. wEAKLEY Erm.

EASEL Filed July 19, 1933 Aug. 28, l934 R. DE c. WEAKLEY Er Al.

n EASEL Filed July 19, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ug. 28, 1934 UNITED.- STATE-As VEASEL Raymond De C. Weakley and Alberta G. Weakley,

Miami, Fla.

Applicatio1x-July 19, 1933, .Serial No.`681,110

Y.7 Claims; (Cl. 475-59) The present invention relatesY to book or magazine holders or supports or easels Vand its aim is to provide'a structure of this character whichV is simple in construction, which is eirlcient in use, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which` presents a'pleasing appearance, and which can be folded into small compass when` not in use. d In general, the novel and improved lappliance includes Aa fiat seat-member which maybe positionedeither under or ontop of a seat-cushion of a chair, anda foldable or collapsible book or magazine restorshelf having supporting legs adapted to be demountably or detach'ablyY accommodated at their lower ends in exposed sockets in the seat-member, the structuralk features being such that the occupant :of the chair having the apparatusapplied thereto may peruse the contents of the book, magazine Vor thelike resting on. the shelf or ledge of. theA devicewith vcomfort and satisfaction, the structure as a Whole having adequate Vadjustn'ient characteristics to position the book or its equivalent in proper position for reading with facility.

To the attainment of -th'ese and other. desirable and beneficial aims and purposes, a present, preferred embodiment of the invention has beenY provided and this has been illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, forming a `part of this specification, andto'which reference should be had in connection with the following descrip- For simplicity and ease of understanding-of the specified desirable incorporation fof the invention lin physical form and a modification vthereof also shown in the drawings, like` reference numerals have been used throughout the several views of the drawings to designate the same parts of 'the iructure.' In these drawings:- I Figure 1 is a perspective View of the 'complete appliance showing the'supported book'or magazine in dotted lines; y

Figure 2 is an enlarged, plan or face View of the book-like :shelf in open Yor flat condition, showing the supporting legs or standards in full lines in folded positionsand indicating in dotted line the mannerofunfolding the legs or posts into operative condition; v l. `V Y e vFigure 3 shows the appliance, except the associated seat-member, infperspective, in completely folded relation; l

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail section online 4 4 of Figure 3; i

Figure 5 is a similar section on linev 5-5 of Figure 2; L 1

Figure 6 is a'view analogous to that '0f `Figure 5, except that the bock-like shelf-member is shown folded as in Figure 3; f

Figures 7 and 8 depict one of tire vfriction hinge joints ofthe legs or posts; and

Figure 9 is ra partialview, similar to the showing` in Figure 2,. of a modified structure.

Referring to these drawings, it will be readily perceived and understood that the new and advantageous book -or magazine holder includes a `flat vor ,plane seat-member il of suitable size and materiaL but, inthe present case, it is formed of a metal frame covered with suitable fabric.

Member 11 c at lits front edge has a pair of Widely-spaced, forwardly-extended socket.- members 12, 12, each having an upright hole 13 therethrough designedand intended to demountablyA receive the lower :ends of the standards or Alegs referred Vto more specically hereinafter.

Obviously, in order tf1-perform their intended kSli Y functions, these `soclret-members must project beyond the frontY of the chair-seat vcushion when the kpart 11 is incorrect -roperative position.

The elevated book or magazine support 'or shelf; designated as a whole 14, is foldable-or collapsible, and when -closed, as shown in-Figure v3, vit has the appearance rof a book, and it may `therefore be present in a `library or elsewhere Without conspicuously disclosingA the Vpurpose which it may fulfil.

Such member 14 is composed -of a middle narrow section l5, corresponding to the back of a book to 'which two, opposite, side sections `or vleaves 16, 16 are hinged at 17, 17, the three sections being generally Vcovered by fabric of a na.- ture Ato make the structure look like a book, the appliance desirably beingsupplied with oney or more external legends to make the deception `or .imitation more complete.

.AtY its .lower edge, e each side-section has -a lbracket .118 mounted thereon with a straight edge 19 designed ,to engage and Abear onthe front face Qf; themes-1,5 when Such beokflike, -Srueture iS- closed, as portrayed in Figure 6, to prevent such sides from closing beyond a parallel relation to one another.

To form a lock to hold these three sections 15, 16,16 rigidly in the same plane, as depicted in Figures l, 2, and 5, a pair of parallel links 21 are rockingly mounted on one bracket 18 at 22, and a pair of links 23 are in like manner rockingly mounted on the companion bracket at 24, the two sets or groups kof links being hinged together at 25, one of such links having a finger-piece 26, and all of the links having enlargements 27.

To lock the shelf elements 16 against turning on their hinges, after the shelf has been flattened out, the operator pushes the Alinks toward lthe back 15 until the parts 27 `strikersuch back, at which time the links will have passed slightly beyond dead-center and will act as an eicient lock.

To fold the shelf 15, 16, 16, by means of the finger-piece 26, the links are pulled forwardly bef yond dead-center, thus terminating their locking function. f

. The manner in which this locking and unlocking is accomplished will be easily understood from an inspection of the illustrations in Figures 5 and 6. f

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that each section 16 near the center portion of its edge opposite its hinge has a bifurcated hinge-bracket 28 rockingly accommodating the inturned end portion of a rod 29, which, while. capable of oscillation in the hinge-bracket, is restrained or restricted in so doing by means of imposed friction as by a nut 31l on the end of the rod and one or more friction-washers 32 interposed be tween the nut and thefadjacent end of the hinge portion of the bracket.

The other end of each rod 29 is hinged at 33 to another rod section 34, the hinge structure applying a substantial friction to the two rockrelation to the part 29 and the section 36 may be rocked in a plane at right-angles thereto.`

A detailed description of one hinge 35 will sufce for all, as they are practically alike or at least work on the same principle.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, it will be observed that the rod 34 has a collar 37 pinned thereon and that such collar has an apertured blade 38 through the hole in which the hinge-pin extends.

`Rod 34 has another collar 39 thereon carrying an apertured blade 41 the hole in which receives pin 35, the rod, in addition, having a third and 41 and a collar 4'1" having a perforated blade 48 between the blades 38 and 43, the hinge-pin y occupying the holes in blades 46 and 48.

Such hinge-pin 35 is in the form of a short bolt equipped With a lock or spring washer 49 between the nut 51 of the bolt and the face of the adjacent blade.

By means of these overlapping and contacting blades and the associated bolt a suitable measure of friction can be at all times exerted on the hinge to cause the parts thus joined together to maintain any desired angular relation until such relative position is intentionally changed.`

In hinge 33 stops of any suitable character may be used to preclude the rod sections 29 and 34 from rocking relatively to one another beyond the point of their longitudinal alignment.

In passing, it should be noticed that the top edge 52 of the fiat shelf 15, `16, 16 is longer than the opposite lower edge 53 thereof in order to permit the lowerhalf of the shelf to swing toward the user between the two supports 36-34-29, thusgiving the shelf any desired degree of inclination. l

Along their lower edges the shelf sectionshave aligned angle-bar ledges 54, 54 on which the lower edge of the book or magazine is designed to rest.

Also, the one bracket 28 is provided with a hinged clasp 55 rockingly mounted onthe inturned end portion of rod 29 in the space supplied by the bifurcated nature of the structure, the opposite end ofthe clasp being of hook form, as presented in Figure 4, to snap over the exposed part of the inwardly-directed end section of the rod 29 mounted in the other bracket.

By this means the folded shelf may be readily maintained, as desired, in its closed-book form, and, of course, by releasing such clasp, the shelf may be flattened out for use.

The improved book holder or easel is used in substantially this manner:

The seat-member 11 is placed under the seatcushion of the chair, or, in some cases, it may be used on the top of the chair-seat when the latter is not equipped with such a cushion, but in either instance the sockets 13, 13 are exposed at the front of the seat.

Thereupon the reader sits on such cushion, or on the part 11,as the case may be, and he releases the clasp 55, opens up the book-like shelf 15, 16, 16, and locks the parts thereof fiat or in the same plane by pressing on the finger or thumb piece 26, thereby rendering the toggle-lock 21--23 operative. i

Then he swings'the two rods 29, 29 on their hinge-brackets 28, 28, turns the rods 34, 34 into alignment with theirV companion rods 29, 29, inserts the two plugs 36, 36 in the seat sockets 13, 13, bends the hinges 35, 35 to position the easel shelf at the desired distance from him, and then swings the now-rigid shelf 15, 16, 16 on the hinges 28, 28 to obtain its required slope ror inclination.

Owing to the friction in all of the hinges, the parts will readily retaintheir adjusted positions, and the operator can read a book or magazine on the shelf with comfort and satisfaction.

The manner of folding the appliance will be its readily understood from what precedes and no further description Vthereof is deemed necessary.

Instead of directly hinging the bent end of each rod 29 to the inside of the section 16, the hinge 128 (see Figure 9) ofsuch end may be mounted on a shaft 228 to rockin a plane parallel to the shelf section, thus, in the foldedcondition of the supporting standards or legs, bringing the parts 29 well away from theV upper edge of thefolded shelf.

CFI

Although Vtwo embodiments of this invention have been set forth by way of description and illustration, it is to be understood that the invention, as dened by the appended claims, is not necessarily limited to the details of the constructions and that more or less radical changes may be incorporated in the appliances without departure from the heart and essence of the invention and without the loss of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

We claim:

1. In a reading-matter support, the combination of a substantially chair-seat-shaped base adapted to rest on a chair seat and having a pair of spaced sockets, a book-like foldable shelf to support the reading-matter comprising a back and side-sections hinged` to said back at its opposite edges, means to lock said shelf in flat open condition, standards having lower ends adapted to be detachably accommodated in said sockets, hinges connecting the upper portions of said standards, and means to maintain the desired inclination adjustment of said shelf on said standards to the side-sections of said shelf, therebyvpermitting adjustment of inclination of said shelf on said standards.

2. The structure presented in claim 1 in which said standards are foldable and adapted in their folded condition to be substantially Wholly accommodated in the closed-book folded condition of said shelf.

3. In a reading-matter support, the combination of a base adapted to rest on a chair seat and having a pair of spaced sockets at its front, pair of standards having lower, intermediate and top sections, said lower sections being adapted to be demountably accommodated in said sockets,

Ya shelf to support the reading-matter, hinges connecting said shelf to said standard top sections permitting the shelf to be swung thereon to the desired degree of inclination, hinge-joints connecting said lower and intermediate standard sections permitting said shelf and the intermediate and top sections of the standards to be rocked toward and from the occupant of the chair, and second hinge-joints between said intermediate and top sections permitting folding of said standards, the axis of each of said second hinge-joints being at substantially a rightangle to the axis of the corresponding rst hingejoint.

4. The structure presented in claim 3 in which the top edge of the shelf ris longer than the distance between said standardswhen the latter are in .operative position and the lowerV edge of the shelf is shorter than said distance to permit the lower half of the shelf to be swung between said standards. A

5. In a reading-matter support, the combination of a base adapted to rest on a chair seat and having a pair 0f spaced sockets at its front, a pair of standards having lower, intermediate and top sections, said lower sections being adapted to be demountably accommodated in said sockets, a book-like foldable shelf to support the reading-matter comprising a back and sidesections hinged to said back at its opposite edges, means to lock said shelf in at open condition, hinges connecting said shelf to said top standard sections permitting the shelf to be swung thereon to the desired degree of inclination,V hinge-joints connecting said lower and intermediate standard sections permitting said shelf 100 and the intermediate and. top standard sections to be rocked toward and from the occupant of the chair, and second hinge-joints between said `intermediate and top standard sections permitting folding of said standards, the axis of each of said second hinge-joints being at substantially a right-angle to the axis of the corresponding rst hinge-joint, said standards in their folded condition being adaptedto be substantially wholly accommodated in the closed-book folded condition of said shelf. Y

6. The structure presented in claim 5 in whichY the top edge of said shelf is longer than the distance between said standards when the latter are in operative position and the lower edge of the shelf is shorter than said distance to permit the lower half of the shelf to be swung between said standards.

7. The structure presented in claim 1 in which said base comprises a border chair-seat-Shaped frame covered with a flexible fabric.

RAYMGND DE C. WEAKLEY. ALBERTA G. WEAKLEY. 

